Rak

[Millhouse]

He puts himself in the doghouse half the time

then boeheim should pull him out of it. he needs confidence even if it's phony

 

[anomander]

He puts himself in the doghouse half the time

i'm all for substituting, but i'm not sure how consistently showing him up helps anybody? Obviously the kid doesn't respond well to it. Wait until the under 16 time out instead of the 1 min and 20 second hook.

 

[anomander]

He sets picks, gets offensive rebounds. Since when is that not a very good contribution. I have yet to see the play where on one possession every member of the team scores. With your logic that means 4 other players were useless during that play. It just doesn't work that way.

Do you see how defenses play us when he is setting those picks? They aren't even worrying about Baye. They let him roll, and force the ball out of Ennis hands. Defenses basically leave him alone most of the time, hence 4 on 5

 

[Trueblue25]

BMK should see at least 10-15 mins of the game.

However Rak's the better offensive player, the better free throw shooter, the better rebounder, the better shot blocker and the better passer.

In my opinion on defense BMK and Rak are pretty even except for communication which BMK wins.

 

[Chris02M]

the reason roc got pulled so quick last night is that he wasn't getting out to the Maryland player in high post

 

[EnnisEnvy]

Did you ever get the impression that an average big guy gets cheap fouls called on them like X? Fouls called setting screens out front, offensive fouls called while posting up? I purposely watched the bigs set screens out front after Rak had that one called a couple games ago and I have seen MUCH worse not called MANY times.

 

[sufandu]

i'm not concerned about this game, but Rak brings so much more to the table. these quick hooks seem to send him in the tank for the rest of the game. i just think he has to let him play through a mistake here or there, and get into a regular substitution pattern

You mean like he does when Grant is out of control going to the basket? I don't get how some guys get a leash long enough to go to the moon and others are hooked in the blink of an eye.

 

[SarasotaPaul]

Do you see how defenses play us when he is setting those picks? They aren't even worrying about Baye. They let him roll, and force the ball out of Ennis hands. Defenses basically leave him alone most of the time, hence 4 on 5

I agree with that part on the pick & roll, but he sets a bunch of picks down low as well. Last night he also completely boxed out Md's center one time for Grant to get to the rim and slam one down. He is also a decent passer from the top of the key. This I would like to see more of as it has led to some easy layups underneath. And you can't devalue the offensive rebounds. He may not put them up for two like we all wish he could. But we do get another possession. If Cooney were hitting we would have had 6 more points just last night alone. Both times Cooney missed the wide open three. Good rebound, good find and pass, good shot to take. Then I die a little when these shots don't go in. The fate of a rabid fan.

 

[NineOneSeven]

You'd swear to god reading threads like this that Rakeem is one of the worst defensive players on the team.

Pretty epic isn't it?

 

[anomander]

I agree with that part on the pick & roll, but he sets a bunch of picks down low as well. Last night he also completely boxed out Md's center one time for Grant to get to the rim and slam one down. He is also a decent passer from the top of the key. This I would like to see more of as it has led to some easy layups underneath. And you can't devalue the offensive rebounds. He may not put them up for two like we all wish he could. But we do get another possession. If Cooney were hitting we would have had 6 more points just last night alone. Both times Cooney missed the wide open three. Good rebound, good find and pass, good shot to take. Then I die a little when these shots don't go in. The fate of a rabid fan.

Don't get me wrong, BMK has played out of his mind the past 2 games. He is an extremely valuable part of this team. I just think our potential as a team is greater when we have Rak's head totally into the game. I'd think a 25/15 split would be perfect. BMK is still close to a 7 footer, he was sucking wind at the end of the halves after playing 15 straight minutes.

My main point is I just wish Boeheim would quit it with the embarrassing quick hooks. It just doesn't benefit anyone.

 

[realorange]

JB gives those quick hooks because he can see Roc doing things he shouldn't and he wants to correct it immediately. Last night was not a shining moment, or game, for Roc. He acted like his mind was somewhere beside the game at times. And his constant complaining to the refs must stop. It's just getting his thought process away from where it needs to be.

 

[SarasotaPaul]

You'd swear to god reading threads like this that Rakeem is one of the worst defensive players on the team.

Depends on the game. Some games he is the worst. Others he is unbelievably good/great. That keeps us all here ranting to/at each other.

 

[ORRange]

This is a strange thread. The Pro-Rak crowd should wait for him to play well and then beg for playing time. Rak played awful last night, just wait 2-3 more games and he will have a great game then toot his horn. It's hard to get excited about him when he shows flashes and then disappears for a 4 game stretch. Sorry to say the truth.

 

[tbonezone]

"However Rak's the better offensive player, the better free throw shooter, the better rebounder, the better shot blocker ..."

that's debatable. moose clearly appears to be the better offensive rebounder.
RAX : 641 min O58/D75 total 133 =.21 bpm
BMK: 415 min O58/D42 total 100 =.24 bpm

 

[Trueblue25]

"However Rak's the better offensive player, the better free throw shooter, the better rebounder, the better shot blocker ..."
that's debatable. moose clearly appears to be the better offensive rebounder.
RAX : 641 min O58/D75 total 133 =.21 bpm
BMK: 415 min O58/D42 total 100 =.24 bpm

Honestly could be attributed to the fact that he's so close to a non factor on offense that if a shot goes up he may sometimes not have an opposing player around him to be boxed out.

Not trying to diss BMK but you don't need to keep a man on him as tight all the time as Rak.

 

[moqui]

"However Rak's the better offensive player, the better free throw shooter, the better rebounder, the better shot blocker ..."

that's debatable. moose clearly appears to be the better offensive rebounder.
RAX : 641 min O58/D75 total 133 =.21 bpm
BMK: 415 min O58/D42 total 100 =.24 bpm

true . . . if BMK met the minimum requirements (20 mpg), he would lead the conference in offensive rebounding percentage by a wide margin - Amile Jefferson leads at 14.2, Baye is at 21.8.

I think the difference is what happens after the board. I don't have any numbers to back this up, but my impression is that BMK's offensive boards have a greater tendency to be empty rebounds - we don't score on the second chance - than do Roc's.

 

[two3zone]

BMK could grab 30 offensive rebounds a game and I'd be shocked if it lead to 14 points. How many put backs are air balled or stripped from him on offensive rebounds. Quite a lot I would reckon.

 

[Ghost]

Rak has to stop trying to be a poor man's LBJ every time a foul is called on him. Always throwing his arms in the air and giving a what me look of protest. Officials get a little tired of that especially coming from an average player.

Eh, we all throw a fit when these crap calls are made - so Rak throws his arms up, blah. Baye has had the same tendency to go a little berserk after calls for four years now, but nobody has ever mentioned it. He's just fiery or something I guess.

I'm sure some of these calls are even more mystifying for Rak. Pitt/Duke/MD all featured some strange post play where Rak was getting battered in the post, without many calls in his favor - while some touch calls are going against him. He gets frustrated - but I don't see his play changing due to it. He may need to adapt to how it's being called, but when it's being called randomly - what're you gonna do?

I see it as a non-issue.

 

[two3zone]

When Rak made that power dunk with somebody on his back and raised his arms up, I thought it was justified. No reason he doesn't get the call there after he got called for tickytack calls all game before that.

 

[HarrisonJBounel]

So Baye is back for 1 game and Rak is already relegated back to the 1 mistake and a quick hook? Total BS. I really don't get this strategy? I can kind of understand with the quick hooks for Freshman, but Rak has been getting this treatment for 3 years now. I think it's clear as day that Rak is the far better center at this point of their careers. Nothing against Baye because he plays hard and is an extremely valuable back up, but he is just that a reserve. If we are going to reach our potential it's going to be with Rak at center playing 30 minutes a game. I can understand how the kid plays tight at times. He knows if he makes 1 mistake, or sometimes not even a mistake he will get a quick hook, but yet Baye can form tackle, and airball 3 feet layups all day long. You have to have some freedom to make mistakes, which Rak doesn't have. I just don't get it.

End rant

I basically agree with this. However, in possible defense of JB, we don't know what goes on in practice, and what they agree on as to what will happen come game time.

These are legitimate questions that I would like to hear JB's answers to - if anyone dare ask them.